Fox Valley Repertory to stage Verne classic
Submitted by Fox Valley Repertory
Fox Valley Repertory is ready for a summer of stampeding elephants, raging typhoons and bandits as its continues its inaugural season with the classic adventure novel “Around the World in 80 Days.”
Directed by Fox Valley Rep artistic director and Wheaton native John Gawlik, performances will take place at the Pheasant Run Resort Mainstage and is in collaboration with the inaugural St. Charles Summer Theater Fest in July. It will preview Thursdays through Fridays, June 9-17. The show will open Saturday, June 18, and continue through Sunday, July 31.
Tickets are $29 for Friday and limited Thursday performances; $39 Saturdays and Sundays. Dinner show packages are available from $49. Group rates and overnight packages also are available.
Join adventurer Phileas Fogg and his manservant as they race to beat the clock. Fogg has agreed to a wager that puts his fortune and life at risk. With his resourceful servant Passepartout, Fogg sets out to circle the globe in 80 days. But his every step is dogged by a detective who thinks he’s a robber on the run. Danger, romance and comic surprises abound in this whirlwind of a show.
In 2001, Jules Verne’s novel was adapted for the stage by American playwright Mark Brown. In what has been described as “a wildly wacky, unbelievably creative, 90-miles-an-hour, hilarious journey,” this award-winning stage adaptation is written for a small ensemble of actors who portray 39 characters.
“We’re excited to stage Jules Verne’s adventure comedy. His books inspired generations of both children and adults to see the potential all around them. We will be taking a different direction for this show by adding a role of a young boy,” said Gawlik.
The cast features Peter DeFaria, previously in FVR’s “Red Herring,” and Sean Patrick Fawcett, previously in “Leaving Iowa,” as well as Brian Hamman, Lauren Pizzi and Matthew Sherbach.
Alternating the role of The Boy will be Batavia residents and FVR Academy students Caden Bohmer and Colin Steele.
Show times are 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays. Thursday performances are available at 8 p.m. June 9 and 16, and 2 p.m. June 23 and 30. Note: The Saturday, July 16 performance is at 4 p.m. and the Friday, July 15 and 29, performances are at 7:30 p.m. There are no performances July 8 and 22. The show is rated PG.
This program is partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency, and is sponsored, in part, by the Daily Herald and DuPage Airport.
Pheasant Run Resort is at 4051 E. Main St., St. Charles. For tickets, call the Pheasant Run Box Office, (630) 584-6342, or visit www.ticketmaster.com. Additional performance information is available at www.foxvalleyrep.org.